Team Tech 6 point belts

[KaiPL]

Well, I installed my Team Tech six point harnesses yesterday.

These are really nice harnesses. I got them from the always helpful Jon B at Parts Rack (Thanks Jon!)

I got to select my own colors, went with black with red pull tabs.

The harnesses come with a video which shows how to do the installation.

Finding the pre-placed holes was a real chore, even with the video. For the outboard holes, I found it easier to just peel back the carpet and insulation, rather than keep probing around with an awl, trying to figure out where the hole was. I think my insulation was thicker than that in the instructional video as well. The outboard holes were covered with two layers of insulation, well over 1 inch thick in total.

The first one took me over two hours, with much cursing and grunting. The second install took only 40 minutes, with the only cursing coming when I dropped one of the bolts between the drivetrain tunnel and the carpet.

Once the belts are bolted in, they are pretty easy to install and un-install. I'm just leaving the waist and crotch straps hooked in, out of sight behind my seat. The shoulder straps clip into eyebolts, so they are relatively easy to attach and remove.

So, to get the harness ready, I just thread the diaper-looking crotch piece into the crotch straps, hook up the shoulder straps clips into the eyebolts; thread the shoulder straps though the seat backs and through the buckles; clip everything in, and I'm good to go. Not a bad system, as when not deployed, you can't even tell it's there, but when you need it, it takes less than 5 minutes per side to get ready to go.

The harnesses seem pretty comfortable. I will get to test their driving comfort next Friday at the track. (hopefully I won't have to test their safety.) It will be interesting to try some serious turning with the harnesses on, and see if being tightly strapped in makes a difference in my driving.

Kai

 

[Vipera Russelli]

I installed the TeamTech six-point harnesses a few weeks ago as well. My experience was similar to yours with respect to finding the holes (which were very illusive) and cutting through the heat shielding (which was almost impenetrable and clearly beefed up since the shooting of the how-to video). To find the holes, after much trial and error with an awl, I found that a strong needle, held with a pair of needle nose vice grips, made the best tool for the job. I just kept poking around until I found the hole. Once the hole was located, and after many frustrating attempt to cut through the insulation, I used a hole saw like this one on a drill motor:

http://www.lenoxsaw.com/cthlswkt.htm

after backing out the drill bit somewhat so it didn’t come in contact with the threaded hole in the car frame. The hole saw cut a perfect circle through the carpet and the underlying TWO layers of what felt like lead lining and fiberglass fibers. If I had to do it again, I would remove the seats, since they are sooooo easy to remove and sooooo difficult to work behind while installed. Learning curve.

The harnesses, once installed, are awesome! You feel like part of the car and finally realize just how much effort you ordinarily expend trying to stay positioned in your seat while using only three-point harnesses. That is, the additional control you have over the car while strapped in with the six-point harnesses is immediately obvious, or at least it was to me. It’s also a good time to check out your ABS, especially if you haven’t yet installed your co-piolet’s six-points, hehe.

 

[jimandela]

I thought the SRT was suppost to originally come with 6pts?
what ever happened to that idea?
It would make life easy on everyone if it just came that way from the factory.

 

[LittleFish]

My experience was similar but with no real help from Jon B. My first question was should I leave my seats out after installing my AF rollbar to install the belts. I was told to put the seats in. I wish I had left the seats out and located the bolts. Would have been a piece of cake. Once I got my belts... no hardware! Got the hardware but the hardware, video and belts for that matter did not match. Jon B was too busy to help and pushed me to teamtech. Both sets of fingers pointing at the other guy. In the end, Teamtech did help me make it work with some effort.

Bottomline, I think it would be much better to remove the seats peel back the carpet to find what you are looking for.

The belts are very comfortable, getting into the car takes more work, but you are defineately one with the car.

 

[KaiPL]

After going through the process of installing the belts, and then seeing how easy it is to take the seats in and out. I also would STRONGLY recommend taking the seats out prior to installing the team tech belts. Not having the seats in the way would remove about 80 percent of the "grunt and groan" factor when putting in the team tech belts.

 

[JonB]

The learning curve with these belts has been different, becasue they are NOT like the 92-02 at all. Thankfully, TT did a VIDEO, and that video shows how to do it without removing seats. I helped TT do this with a PVP SRT-10, at PVO in MI!

The production SRT-1os have way more insulation, esp 04s.

Unfortunately for Dave, TT forgot to enclose his needed hardware! Even TTs production dept did not initially understand what was missing. Only DAVE could tell them, Since I did not have an open line to make a conference call that moment, I asked Dave if he would call TT and get the hardware. Perhaps unknown to Dave I followed up with TT to be sure it was sent.

SORRY DAVE if you felt I was unhelpful. There are just some moments in time where I cannot be as thorough on each call as Id like to be, and as you deserve. But If I had let you go to voice mail, or called back later, we STILL would have to go to TT to fix it! Slower overall fix. This (RARE) omission by Team Tech could only be corrected with you on the line.....and I did not have a free line that exact moment! I sent you to TT to get the fastest correction of their error. I did NOT mean to brush you off. Again, I apologize.

 

[JonB]

I thought the SRT was suppost to originally come with 6pts?
what ever happened to that idea?

Only ACRs, Comp Coupes and GT-2s feature OEM harnesses. All 02-04 are PINNED for them, with factory-installed anchor bosses. The SRT is pinned for 6, not 5.

The SRT was the best-planned, with the shoulder belt access port and seat channels....You dont have to cut slits in your $90k car! PVO saw that some folks would NOT install safety items for fear of cutting their baby. So they made it easy, with input they received [literally] RIGHT HERE. They listened.

FYI: SCCA has just announced that 5-point belts will no longer be acceptable in SCCA competition eff in 2007. 6pt is the new minimum, with 7 recommended. The long lead time is to allow competitors who just this season bought 2-year harnesses to use them up.

All Team Techs are upgradeable from 5-6-7 points, as well as recertifiable after expiry.

 

[Vipera Russelli]

When I was putting in my six-point TeamTech harnesses and discovered that the video made things look just a little easier than was my experience, I called JonB for advise too... on a WEEKEND nonetheless (yes, he takes calls on weekends too, the poor guy). In truth, I cannot even begin to add up the time I've kept him on the phone talking about Viper engine modification, this or that exhaust system, accessories galore, tuners, the problems I’ve had with my car, you name it. Why? Not because I have nothing better to do, but because it's time well invested. Well, at least for me; JonB may differ, lol. Shoot, maybe I should be apologizing to LittleFish and JonB for contributing to the hold time, but I know I'm far from the only one. Anyway, in my line of work we have what's called the competency penalty--the more competent you are, the more you get buried in work. Still, even with a few minutes of hold here and there, he seems to be juggling all our calls petty well, or at least that's been my experience... again...and again...and again...and again....

Keep up the good work Jon (and sorry about advertising the weekend availability thing--oops, I did it again )

 

[KaiPL]

I took my car to the track yesterday for the first time after the Team Tech belt install.

At first, it was a little claustrophobic, but after I got used to it, being strapped in tight really helped. During hard cornering and braking, I wasn't fighting the g-forces and bracing myself with the steering wheel. The belts kept me glued to my seat, with the result that my steering and pedal manipulation were a lot smoother. The Viper OEM seats are pretty good, but the addition of the Team Tech belts took it to another level of body support.

They are very comfortable, even after a several hour track session. Adjusments were easy enough to allow for multiple changes back and forth between me and my instructor, who is substantially taller than I am.

For anyone who takes their snake to the track, these belts are worth it. In addition to providing an extra margin of safety, they make hard cornering and braker a heck of a lot easier and smoother.

 

[steve911]

where are you anchoring the shoulder belts, and are you using the stock lap belt points for the new belts??? How did you anchor the submarine belt

thanks
steve A.

 

[Vipera Russelli]

There are four pre-tapped holes that you'll use to place the four eye-bolts that come with the 6-point belts (you don't use any of the existing three-point bolts or holes). Shoulder belt anchors are threaded into two pre-tapped holes behind the plastic panel behind the seat. Lap and crotch anchors are threaded into two pre-tapped holes behind the seat on each side, which you'll have to locate and then cut through the carpet and heat shielding to get to them. Btw, the pre-tapped hole in the drive train **** actually has a bolt already in it, which keeps fumes from coming into the car. This bolt will have to be removed prior to putting the eye-bolt anchor in its place.

 

[LittleFish]

Has anyone had trouble getting the lap belt bolt screwed in far enough so that it doesn't stop the seat from going all the way back? I'm having trouble getting enough torque on the bolt. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dave

 

[KaiPL]

Has anyone had trouble getting the lap belt bolt screwed in far enough so that it doesn't stop the seat from going all the way back? I'm having trouble getting enough torque on the bolt. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dave

I was having trouble getting the bolt screwed in all the way because of the thick insulation around the bolt. I cut a piece of the insulation away, enough that the insulation didn't overlap with the mounting plate for the belts, and it went in fine.

And take the seat out, if you haven't already done this. Makes the whole process sooo much easier.

 

[LittleFish]

Thanks for the great hint!!